The Grass is Always Greener
by KarissaAnnie
Summary: Bella moves in with Charlie to escape her troubled past. Jacob also has a troubled past, but he has a brighter outlook on life. He is going to be a Marine when he graduates. Will he be able to help Bella see things the way he does?


CHAPTER 1

**Coming to Forks never struck me as different or special. Living with my mother, we constantly traveled from place to place. She couldn't seem to keep a stable job, and tended to mess things up pretty bad, so we had to move a lot. At the age of 17, i finally got sick of her alcoholism that ever seemed to get better, despite all those empty promises she constantly seemed to be making. So I decided that it was time to go live with my dad. Little did I know that I would find love, and that it would change my whole world.**

"I'm sure you'll make yourself right at home here Sweetheart." My dad says as we drive past the Welcome to Forks sign. If I had a dollar for everytime I've heard that in my life, but at least it was coming from someone new this time

"I'm sure I will too." I said, swallowing my sarcasm. It's not my dad's fault that my mother had put me through hell. He was the one who was always there to listen when I needed a shoulder, though he was a phone call away. Now I got to be with him all the time. But I couldn't help worrying about how she will get on without me, though I knew I shouldn't.

"Don't even give her a second thought Baby," my dad said, seeming to read my mind. "She'll be fine.'

We made some polite small talk up until my father pulled into the driveway of the house he's lived in since him and my mom were married (which was forever ago). The house was two stories and white. It had a well manicured lawn, and an American flag. It represented Charlie perfectly.

My father helped my carry my various bags up to my room, which I was very familiar with, because I had spent several summer, winter and spring vacations there.

When we got upstairs, I noticed that my dad had gotten me a new bed. He had replaced my creaky little twin with a brand new queen-sized bed. "Daddy, you so didn't have to do that."

"I just wanted my girl to be comfortable." With that, he left me alone to get my things unpacked. The sucky thing about moving in the middle of the school year was I had to start school right away. Well at least this time. With my mom, she sometimes waited to register me, but Charlie had it all take care of. He always had me taken care of.

I spent an hour unpacking before I felt a rumbling in my stomach, so I set off downstairs to the living room to pick Charlie's head about dinner.

"Dad, are you hungry?"

"I've been waiting for you to ask. Billie Black is having a small get together. He invited us, and I accepted. I wouldn't mind showing my girl off to all my friends." A barbeque with a bunch of people I didn't know was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Alright, just give me a few minutes to get ready alright?"

"Take all the time you need."

I dug one of my still-packed suitcases, and found a silk lavender sundress that was comfortable, and always looked good on me. I would have loved to take a shower, airplanes always made me feel grimy, but I didn't want to keep Charlie waiting forever, so I decided to just try and clean up a bit.

I peeled of my sweats and put on the sundress. I ran a brush through my hair, and pinned a bit of it back, washed my face, and re-applied my mascara and lip gloss. I figured that if I was meeting strangers in the town that I would be living in until I graduated, that I may as well make a good first impression.

"Do you remember my best friend Billie Black Bella?" My dad asked as we were pulling out of our driveway.

"I don't think so." I answered honestly.

"Well he's a retired Marine. He has a son, Jacob, who is about your age, and older girls who are grown. Been real hard on him since his wife Sarah died last fall. Took it real hard."

"That's really too bad."

Billie Black's house was small and red. It sort of resembled a barn. The front yard was bit, and that's where the get together was.

A man in a wheelchair wheeled his way over to us to greet Charlie.

"I'm so happy you guys made it!"

"I wouldn't miss Harry Clearwater's fish for anything. I was also kind of excited to show off my Bells." I blushed. Billy was not what I pictured. When Charlie said retired marine, I pictured someone big and broad. It was hard to tell if Billie was big in his chair.

He turned to me. "You've gotten so much older since the last time I saw you." I hated when people I didn't recognize said that to me, I never could think of a polite response. "Jake and the other kids are out back," he said, before I had to respond to the first thing. I knew that this was an invitation to go back there, but seeing as I didn't know anyone, I smiled politely, and stayed by my dad's side, as if I was 5 years-old again.

I sat next to Charlie in a circle around the fire. I was facing the back of the house, where Billy said the other kids were. There was smoke coming from the back of the house, which made me assume that they were having their own fire. I heard them hooting and laughing back there, which made me feel sort of awkward as I sat with the adults, answering all their questions about where I came from, how my mother was doing, and if I was happy to be back in Forks as politely as I could. As I'm answering one of someone who I later learn is Sue Clearwater's question, a boy comes walking from around the back of the house.

He is really tall, like really tall, looks buff, has tan skin, and cropped ink black hair. I have to tear my eyes away to keep from staring, but sneak another glance. He catches me, and smiled a cocky smile. So he knows he's gorgeous. Now he seems to be making his way over to where we are sitting. There's something about his walk, the confidence, that makes me watch him.

"Hey Jake!" my dad calls. "Have you met my daughter Bella yet?" So this is the famous Jacob. I watch a trace of recognition flash through his eyes.

"Hello Bella." he says politely. His voice is smooth and friendly. "So, how ya been Charlie? Anything new?" he asks my dad.

"Other than getting my daughter back, nothing new. What about you kid? How's school going?"

"Oh ya know...it's going." Charlie raised an eyebrow at him

"School is important Jacob." my father lectured "It's the ticket that sets you apart from any other loser."

"Yeah Charlie, I know." Jacob gets up and grabs couple of soda cans from the cooler. "Come with me Bella." I stand up, and look at Charlie to reassurance. He gives me the go ahead, so I follow Jacob.

"So, I think I remember you." Jacob said to me. This took me by surprise. It's not what I expected him to say.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, you were a pretty shy kid." Maybe he did remember me. We turned the corner around to the back of Jacob and Billy's house, and I saw a few kids sitting around a campfire. He handed a couple of them the drinks in his hand, and offered me one.

"Bella, this is Quil, Embry, Seth, and Leah. Guys, this is Bella."

They all greeted me with warm smiles except for Leah. Jacob gave her a stern look, and she shrugged her shoulders. Jacob sat down on a log, and invited me to sit next to him.

I learned that Quil and Embry were Jacob's best friends, and Seth and Leah were Harry and Sue Clearwater's children, a good friend of Billy and Charlie.

I found that all the kid I had been too shy to meet at first were very friendly, and I felt at ease around them (apart from Leah). It went by really fast, and before I knew it, Charlie was calling me to go home. As I stood up to leave, Jacob stood up and hugged me. The hug was very warm. It made my stomach flutter, and I wished that it never had to end.

"So, Jacob is a pretty good kid." Charlie said as we were driving home.

"Yeah he's nice." I said.

"It amazes me how positive he remains after everything."


End file.
